SB1070-WHAT IS THE REAL NEWS?

I’M NOT REALLY SURE WHAT I THINK ABOUT HOW THIS ARTICLE OR SB1070. AT THE MOMENT, I’D SAY THAT ALMOST ALL THE COVERAGE OF THIS BILL IN THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA, LIKE THIS ARTICLE, FOCUSES ON POTENTIAL CIVIL RIGHTS VIOLATIONS OR THE “PANIC” THAT IS NOW ENSUING AMONGST ILLEGALS.

The first thing, say people on both sides of the issue, is to take a deep breath. The Support Our Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhoods Act, better known as SB1070, won’t go into effect until 90 days after the current legislative session ends. “It will probably be in July or August,” says Daniel Ortega, a Phoenix lawyer who is chair of the board of directors of the National Council of La Raza. “That’s the first thing I am telling people. There’s panic in the community.”

WHY IS THIS NEWS TO THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA? THE COMMUNITY OF ILLEGAL ALIENS PROBABLY SHOULD BE NERVOUS AS SOON AS ANY OF THEM CROSS THE BORDER ILLEGALY. THIS REALLY ISN’T NEWS. IS IT? I’D SAY IT WAS MORE NEWS WORTHY IF THEY WEREN’T NERVOUS. THIS ARTICLE COULD REPORT AS NEWS THAT CITIZENS OF THIS COUNTRY ARE ACTING TO PROTECT THEIR WAY OF LIFE. EVEN MORE NEWS WORTHY IS THAT THESE CITIZENS ARE DOING SO IN OPPOSITION TO THEIR ELECTED OFFICIALS SUCH AS OBAMA AND REID. BUT, FOR SOME REASON, THIS ISN’T NEWS WORTHY TO MEMBERS OF THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA. THAT IN ITSELF IS NEWS IN MY BOOK.

THEN LOOK AT HOW REPUBLICANS ARE REFERED TO IN THIS ARTICLE. IN THE TWO QUOTES BELOW, THE WORD ‘FIREBRAND’ AND WORDS ‘LUSTROUS TAN AND STERNLY KNITTED BROW’ ARE USED TO DESCRIBE REPUBLICANS. ARE THESE QUALIFIERS NECESSARY? WHAT DO THEY ADD TO THE ARTICLE?

“Russell Pearce, the firebrand state senator who sponsored the original bill, likes to boast that he has won every legal challenge to his other legislation against illegal immigration.”

That same day, at Briarwood Country Club in the retirement community of Sun City West, Hayworth and other Republican candidates gathered for a lasagna fundraiser held by the Arizona Federation of Republican Women. Praise for SB1070 was universal and enthusiastic. Just as Hayworth, a former sportscaster with a lustrous tan and sternly knitted brow, entered the room, one of his supporters stood by a table selling “Republican jewelry” and made a prediction of her own: “We will be the last ones standing.”